Boris Nemtsov, a charismatic Russian opposition leader, was gunned down ahead of a planned protest against the government. ||| Moscow – Boris Nemtsov, a charismatic Russian opposition leader and sharp critic of President Vladimir Putin, was gunned down on Saturday near the Kremlin, just a day before a planned protest against the...

Russian opposition leader and critic of President Vladimir Putin, Boris Nemtsov, has been shot dead near the Kremlin, just a day before a planned protest against the government. Nemtsov’s death ignited a fury among opposition figures who assailed the Kremlin for creating an atmosphere of intolerance of any dissent and called the killing an...

Kiev reported the first deaths in three days in east Ukraine, denting hopes a ceasefire will hold. ||| Kiev – Ukraine on Friday reported the first deaths in three days in east Ukraine, denting hopes a ceasefire will hold, and President Petro Poroshenko said Russia would pose a “military threat” even if the truce is solid. Government troops...

Ukraine on reported the first deaths in three days in east Ukraine, denting hopes a ceasefire will hold, and President Petro Poroshenko said Russia would pose a “military threat” even if the truce is solid. …read more Source: The Sunday...

European shares dipped on Friday – pausing after their best start to the year since regional benchmarks began in 1986. ||| Paris – European shares dipped on Friday morning, pausing after their best start to the year since regional benchmarks began in late 1986, while Airbus rallied after posting a sharp rise in operating earnings....

Former YUKOS tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky says Russia’s economy will weaken further. ||| London – Former Russian tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky said on Thursday Vladimir Putin was a “naked king” presiding over an economy that will weaken further, eventually provoking a battle between rival clans in Moscow. “Putin with bare chest...

Pictures of Russian children posing with mock AK-47 rifles and other weapons at a kindergarten have provoked a storm of controversy. ||| Moscow – Pictures of young Russian children posing with mock AK-47 rifles and other weapons at a kindergarten have provoked a storm of controversy, but some defended them as patriotic education. Pictures...

Pictures of Russian children posing with mock AK-47 rifles and other weapons at a kindergarten have provoked a storm of controversy. ||| Moscow – Pictures of young Russian children posing with mock AK-47 rifles and other weapons at a kindergarten have provoked a storm of controversy, but some defended them as patriotic education.Pictures...

Ukraine’s army is starting the withdrawal of heavy weapons from the front line in the east as part of a truce, the defence ministry says. It says the pullout of 100mm calibre artillery “is the first step” and will be monitored by OSCE observers. Pro-Russian rebels earlier said they had started withdrawing their weapons. This has...